Ore mixing and separating apparatus.



i To all whom it May concern AI EXAN'DER H. summer, or enasqow, SCOTLAND.

specification of Letters l atent.

ORE MIXING ND SEPARAT'ING APPARAIUS.

, Patented Apr. 1913.

Application filed inlay '7, 19 12. 7 Serial No. 695,695.

vBe it known that I, -ALEXA-NDER HERBERr I SMITina subject of the Kingof GreatBri't .ain "and Ireland, residing in Glasgow, Scotland, have invented'a new and useful Orev Mixing and Separating-Apparatus; and I do herebydefclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to an apparatus for mixing finely "ground ore with any matter, for instance oilor grease, in such a way.

' as to make the economic portion of the ore float afterit has passed throughthe' apparatusQ In 1 theJaccompanying' drawing, showing,

by way of. example, apparatus for this purpose, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, ofone formof "apparatus; Fig. 2

is .a plan of the same; Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations, partly in section, and a plan of another form' of apparatus; and' 'Figs. 5

and 6 are 'end and side elevations diagrammatically showing apparatus similar to that.

' ofFigs. 3 and 4, arranged in series onithe same line of shafting.

Referring now particularly to Figs; 1 and 2, the apparatus is shown comprising a:

mixer 10,; a feed box 11 and centrifugal fans 12 mounted on a shaft- 13 provided with a pulley 14.- The ground ore mixed with water is sucked in by the fans from the feed box-through opening [15,- 'At the sametime oil .or a"mixture of oil and airis forced under pressure or simply sucked into the mixer through thefed pipe 16. The fans revolve at"therate of about 300 revolutions per minute and send both ingredients to the periphery of the fans, and theresiilting mix ture passes'out into the spitzkasten 17 by paratus, the combinationof a mixer casing having a closed top; means for feeding maway of the conduit 18 and is discharged into the water somedistance below the water level. 18 as shown; The coarserportions of the feed material as well as the lighter por- 4 tions are brought. by the fans intothorough contact with the oil.

The conduit 18 is made of such a length that the mixture comes almost to a state of rest and oozes into the spitzkasten, thus disturbing. the water surface very little." u

A regulator or leaf 20 is hinged, at the end of the conduit and can 'beadjus ted.

paratus, the combination of a mixer cas-- through an angle" of 180 and thus direct the mixture into'the spitzkasten at any .desired angle. The usual concentrate launder 21 and tailing pipe 22 are provided. In order to control the amountof mixture passing through the conduit l8, an adjustable gate 23 is provided which may be adjusted to give the desired amount of opening.- By

thisarrangement the air and oil bubbles are intimately mixed with the water and air. It-w1ll be noted'that the mixing port-ion is below thewater level thus preventing the escape'and accumulation of air' bubbles before the spitzkasten is reached. The con} dint 18 may be placed at-any angledesired,

'for instance, as shown in Fig. or. as shown at 18 in Flg. 3 or. as shown at 18. in Fig. 5.

In' the apparatus ofFig s. 3 and 4 the spitzkasten l7, isdisposedto one side of themixe'r 10 so that'it is possible to have -several apparatus onone line of shafting.

In this case the conduit 18.projects from theinixer 10, the feed box 11, the feed pipe 1 6, the concentric launder 21, the tailing,

pipe 22 and the gate'23 are similar to those of Figs. 1 and'2. The apparatus can be dis posedso that thetailings of-one machine can be-sucked into the mixer of the succeeding machine, thus doing away with a pump.

- Such? an arrangement is showndiagrammatically in Figs.'5 and 6, these figures being end and side elevations, respectively.

In this arrangement the tailing pipes 22" lead from .the slpitzkasten 17 to thejsuc- 'ceeding. mixers l0 and the mixers are all run-from the same shaft 13".

It is understood that the dimensions and proportions shown; are for'illustrative pur poses only and that the dimensions, proportions and details of construction may be greatly v'aried without, departingfrom the scope of the invention'as'claime I-claim as'm'y invention t 1. In.'an ore mixing and separating terial to be separated and a frothing reagent into the casing; a propeller tan mounted in the casing and adapted to throw said macanting separator below the water level thereof, I P

2. In an ore mixing and separating ap- 1mg having a closed 'top; means for feeding material to be separated and a ;frothing reagent into the casing; a propeller. fan mounted in the casing and adapted to throw said material to the upper part of the cas- I mg; a decanting separator; and a conduitv of greater length than depth leading from said upper part of the mixer and' having ing material to be separated and a frothing reagent into the casing; a propeller fan mounted in the casing and adapted to throw said material to the upper part of the easing; a decanting separator; and a conduit leading from said "upper part of the mixer and having a discharge end projecting into the decanting separator below the water level thereof, .said closed top sloping upwardly toward the inlet end of said conduit.

4. In an ore mixing and separating apparatus, the combination of a mixer casing having a closed sloping top; a propeller t'an mounted in said casing; feed-means for a material to be separated and a frothing reagent; a decanting separator; and a slop: ing conduit of greater length than depth communicating with the upper part of the casing adjacent to the uppermost part of said sloping top and discharging beneath the water level of thedecanting separator.

5. In an ore mixing and separating apparatus, the combination of a mixer casing having a closed sloping top; a propeller fan mounted ins-aid casing; feed means for a material to be separated and frothing reagent; a decanting separator;'and a slopconduit of greaterlength than depth communicatingwith the upper part of the easing'adjacent to the uppermost part of said sloping top and discharging beneatlrthe water level of the decanting separator; and an adjustable gate in the conduit and a pivoted regulator secured to the free end of the con luit.

6. In an ore mixing and separating aparatus the combination of a series of de- P 7 canting separators; a mixer casingforeach separator and extending below the lowest part of the separator; a conduit connecting each mixer casing with its corresponding separator; a downwardly sloping discharge pipe connecting the bottom of each separator with the suceeedingmixer easing at a point lower than the lowest point of its corresponding separator; and a propeller in each casing and adapted to lift ore from its lower part and'force it out through the conduit.

j 7. In an ore mixing and separating apparatus, the combination ofa series of decanting separators; a mixer casing for each separator, each extending below the lowest part of each separator; a discharge conduit leading from the upper part of each mixer casing and discharging under the water level of the corresponding separator; downwardly sloping pipes connecting the bottom part of each separator to the lower part of the succeeding mixer casing at a point lower than the lowest part of the corresponding separator; and a propeller in each mixercasing adapted to lift one mixture through the conduit.

- from the lower part thereof and force it out r s. v. 8. In an ore mixing. and separating apparatus, the combination of a series of decanting separators; a mixer casing for each separator each ext-ending below the lowest part of each separator;' a discharge conduit leading from the upper part of each mixer casing and discharging under the water level of the corresponding separator; continuously downwardlycsloping pipes connecting the bottom part ofeach separator to the. lower part of the succeeding mixer casing at a point-lower than the lowest part of the corresponding separator; a propeller in each mixer casing adapted to lift one mixture from the lower part thereof and force it out D. ,R. MoConn, EUGENE Pncor. 

